The Democratic National Convention starts Monday, August 17. To discuss, we SPOTLIGHT Na'ilah Amaru, who was a keynote speaker at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Amaru has leveraged her nearly two decades serving as a public interest advocate and Democratic operative towards advancing progressive policies across five U.S. states and at every level of government. Starting her career as a grassroots organizer in Georgia, Amaru became a policy advisor to former Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, legislative aide to U.S. Congressman John Lewis, and executive director of the New York City Council’s Black, Latino and Asian Caucus. Building Democratic governing power in a national capacity, Amaru now collaborates with state legislators and grassroots organizations across the country to advance progressive democracy reforms and fight voter suppression. Amaru is also a national trainer for VoteRunLead, a national organization that trains women to run for public office - and win. Media includes: Forbes Magazine, NBC, NY1, WNYC.
On Saturday, President Trump signed four executive orders that were intended to provide Americans with coronavirus economic relief. To discuss, we FEATURE Angela N. Hanks. Hanks is the Deputy Executive Director of the Groundwork Collaborative, working to advance a cross-cutting economic narrative for the progressive movement. Before joining Groundwork in 2019, Angela served as director of the Center for Postsecondary and Economic Success at CLASP, director of workforce development policy at the Center for American Progress (CAP), and senior federal policy analyst at the National Skills Coalition. Media includes: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Forbes.
Days after the Beirut explosion that devastated the city and left over 170 people dead, Lebanon's cabinet has resigned. To discuss, we FEATURE Noura Erakat. Erakat is a human rights attorney and writer. She is currently the Freedman Teaching Fellow at Temple Law School and the US-based Legal Advocacy Consultant for the Badil Resource Center for Palestinian Refugee and Residency Rights. Noura is a frequent commentator on the Palestinian-Israel conflict, U.S. Middle East foreign policy, and international human rights in the Middle East. She has lived and worked throughout the Middle East including as part of a legal fact-finding delegation to the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of Israel’s Winter 2008/09 offensive and spent the Spring 2010 academic semester in Beirut, Lebanon as a Visiting Scholar at the American University in Beirut. Media includes: Foreign Policy, Al Jazeerea, The Hill, The Interdependent, The Huffington Post, MSNBC.
Schools are starting to reopen despite concerns over the spread of COVID-19. To discuss, we FEATURE Yvonne Vissing, PhD. Vissing is a pediatric and community sociologist, Professor of Healthcare Studies and founding director of the Center for Childhood & Youth Studies at Salem State University. She is the US Children's Human Rights Policy Chair for the Hope for Children's United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child Policy Center and works on human rights issues at the national and international levels. Extensive media experience.
On Monday, protesters took to the streets in downtown Chicago after police officers shot a man in the Englewood neighborhood of Chicago. To discuss, we FEATURE Charlene Carruthers, who is based in Chicago. Carruthers is a Black, queer feminist community organizer and writer with over 15 years of experience in racial justice, feminist and youth leadership development movement work. As the founding national director of BYP100 (Black Youth Project 100), she has worked alongside hundreds of young Black activists to build a national base of activist member-led organization of Black 18-35 year olds dedicated to creating justice and freedom for all Black people. Media includes: The New York Times, the Washington Post, Chicago Reader, The Nation, Ebony, Essence Magazine.
The Environmental Protection Agency is planning to rescind methane regulations for oil and gas producers. The regulations are meant to ensure that the industry can detect and fix greenhouse gas emissions. To discuss, we FEATURE Tamara Toles O'Laughlin. O'Laughlin is the North America Director of 350.org, where she supports and is accountable to organizers and campaigners on the United States and Canada teams. She also drives the critical work of building a multiracial, grassroots climate movement that can hold our leaders accountable to science and justice. Media includes: Real News Network, Chesapeake Bay Journal, Grist.
Health and manufacturing officials are warning that there will be a PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) shortage that could last for years if the government doesn't intervene. To discuss, we FEATURE Susan Helper. Helper is the former Chief Economist for the U.S. Commerce Department. She previously served as a senior economist at the Council of Economic Advisers. Her research focuses on the globalization of supply chains, and on how U.S. manufacturing might be revitalized. Helper is the the Carlton Professor of Economics at Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. Media includes: The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today, NPR.
McDonald's is taking legal action against its former CEO Steve Easterbrook, who was fired last year for having a sexual relationship with an employee. To discuss, we FEATURE Rebecca G. Pontikes. Pontikes, a lawyer and founder of Pontikes Law, LLC, represents employees in all areas of employment law, specializing in gender and family responsibility (caregiver) discrimination and sexual harassment against employees and students. Media includes: The Boston Globe, The New York Times, Lawyers Weekly.
Apple Daily founder and pro-deomocracy mogul Jimmy Lai was arrested in Hong Kong by Chinese officials. To discuss, we FEATURE Shanthi Kalathil. Kalathil is Director of the International Forum for Democratic Studies at the National Endowment for Democracy. Her work focuses on China's global impact, the implications to international security of growing authoritarian influence and disinformation, and the role of media, communication and technology. Kalathil has authored and edited numerous publications, including Diplomacy, Development and Security in the Information Age (Institute for the Study of Diplomacy, 2013), Developing Independent Media as an Institution of Accountable Governance (The World Bank, 2008), and (with Taylor C. Boas) Open Networks, Closed Regimes: The Impact of the Internet on Authoritarian Rule (Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 2003). Media includes: Foreign Policy, Voice of America, BBC, NPR.
August 18 is the centennial of the ratification of the 19th amendment, which granted women the right to vote. To discuss, we. FEATURE Carol Jenkins. Jenkins is the Co-President and CEO of The ERA Coalition and the Fund for Women’s Equality, sister organizations dedicated to the passage and enactment of the Equal Rights Amendment. She is also a writer, media analyst, commentator, and speaker on media issues, as well as an Emmy-award winning journalist and documentary producer. Media includes: Christian Science Monitor, Huffington Post, The Nation.
Alicia White
Liz Theran
